


The Trouble with Tricksters Two

by RenneMichaels



Series: Trickster Gods [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Labyrinth (1986), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Childhood Friends, FrostIron - Freeform, Humor, Loki is a brat, M/M, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony is not amused, Warning: Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-08 18:38:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8856499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenneMichaels/pseuds/RenneMichaels
Summary: It's been a long five years, and the already complicated relationship between Loki and Tony is about to become more so.  Even though he is a thousand years old, Loki is still not of age as far as Asgard is concerned. This causes his relationship with Tony, a few problems.... Sequel to my 'The Trouble with Tricksters' story, although I don't think you don't need to read that to understand this one.





	1. It's Been A While

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! And may you have a kickin' Kwanzaa! And please consider this work to be a holiday gift from me to you.
> 
> Beta’d by Stella (Ykmust) & Emu Sam. Many thanks to Stella for her wonderful suggestions, and also to Emu Sam for having to deal with the mess I leave behind implementing Stella's suggestions. Their notes are often hysterical, I am sometimes almost tempted to post these stories annotated. 
> 
> If you are reading this anywhere but Archive of Our Own, this is a STOLEN WORK, the author has NOT Given Permission for it to be here. If you're paying to read it, you're being cheated, because you can read it on Archiveofourown.com for FREE.
> 
> [](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)  
> This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

**[Perma Link for Art Work - The Trouble with Tricksters Two](https://rennemichaels.tumblr.com/post/154545694708/the-trouble-with-tricksters-two-chapter-2) **

**Chapter 1 - It’s Been a While**

The New York City skyline was ablaze with lights, and rainbow flames still flickered in a complicated knot pattern behind him, as Loki stepped towards the penthouse’s terrace doors. “Good evening, Prince Loki,” Jarvis said as Loki strode across the living area’s polished expanse of marble. “Sir is already down in the reception area, with Ms. Potts. He asks that you join him immediately.”

“Jarvis.” Acknowledging the AI with a slight nod, Loki paused a moment when he got to the large mirror in the entry hall. Deft fingers erased the slight disarray that being flung across the galaxy caused to his up-swept ponytail. Quicker than sky walking it might be, but traveling via the Bi-Frost was not without its downsides if you wanted to make a good appearance. At last satisfied that his hair and finely tailored suit was restored to order, Loki adjusted his tie. A soft chime from the now open elevator doors was Jarvis’ gentle reminder that Tony was waiting for him to arrive at his precious gala. Since he didn’t believe that another few minutes was going to kill Tony, Loki glanced towards one of Jarvis’ cameras.

“Did anything exciting happen while I was gone?” Loki asked, making small talk with the AI, partly because he did want to know, but mostly because it was just never too early to start teasing Tony. Who had, no doubt, been alerted the minute that he arrived, and if he knew his mad engineer, Tony was desperate for him to relieve the tedium of this evenings event. And the engineer would most likely also be pestering Jarvis for minute by minute updates on Loki’s progress down to the ballroom.

“Several items that might be of interest, but nothing that can’t wait until later.” The elevator chimed once more, drawing attention to the still opened doors. “As I said, Sir asks that you join him immediately.”

"Jarvis, patience is a virtue. A virtue that Tony desperately needs to practice more, as well you know." Twitching his cuffs into place as one last delay, Loki winked at his reflection.

"Admittedly, yes. And normally, I would gladly join you in attempting to impart that lesson to Sir. Not that I feel it would do the least good, but hope does spring eternal. However, it does not do so tonight. Sir has been very much looking forward to your return, and thus our attempt would be wasted." Jarvis replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Oh well.

If he played his part right, soon his mere presence would not be the only thing Tony was desperate for.

It had been an interesting five years since he had staked his claim on Tony. Not that Tony had aged in the slightest, since he’d unknowingly stolen an apple smoothie Loki had made with one of Idun’s golden apples. Something that Odin still brought up almost every time Frigga was out of ear shot. Odin, of course, did not believe for a moment that Loki had not set Tony up for what was to the Midgardian only a retaliatory prank. Fortunately for Loki, the All Father might be all knowing, but he had no hard proof. So no matter how Odin picked at the topic, Loki regarded it as ancient history. What wasn't ancient history, were the women, plural, he would no doubt find circling like sharks around his Stark.

At last standing in the elevator, Loki reflected wryly on how several years ago, in a moment of weakness he had signed an agreement not to hex, injure, or psychologically harm any of Tony’s old flames. He consoled himself that it was most likely just sentiment on his part, since the agreement had occurred almost immediately after he and Tony had come to an understanding on their relationship. During the warm glow and intoxication period actually, when he was arguably a little bit possessive. Not that he regretted the incident that occurred; that blonde reporter had it coming to her. Ms. Potts was not, however, very understanding, explaining that she had managed to put up with the same annoyances without major incident. Still, she was willing to give him an incentive to follow her lead. To wit, the decent sized block of SI stock that Ms. Potts had given him in exchange for his signature. So now, instead of taking out his frustrations on the various old flames dancing around Tony trying to re-ignite his passion for them, he instead had to console himself with the amount of dividends being deposited in his bank account. Not that he minded the money, because he really, really didn’t. But not being able to have all the stitches in some annoying mortals garments dissolve… it did make for a rather boring evening.

OoooO

Everything in the reception area either glittered or shone except for the long white falls of fabric that masked off the service area behind, and on either side of the stage. In front of the soft white curtains, a small band, fronted by two chicks with electric violins, played soft background music that blended with the murmuring conversations of the crowd.

Waiters circulated between the guests, as did Pepper. Or rather, Ms. Potts, CEO of Stark International. Who was, Tony had to admit, as sleek and glittering as the venue she wove through. Having released Tony over an hour ago, she still paused here and there to smile and say a few words before taking a half dozen steps and doing it all over again with the next set of attendees. Not that Tony felt the least bit guilty about that. Hell no. He’d spent two hours working the room with Pepper, easily visiting every single important contact. Tony might not like working a crowd, but after all these years he sure as shit knew how to do it efficiently. Hell, even drunk he could still charm, depending on their sex, the socks, or knickers off of his guests.

One item in Tony’s favor was that tonight’s crowd knew him. And they mostly knew that anyone could approach him while he was with Pepper. Once he’d left her side however, it was best to wait for him to come to you. If he wanted to talk to you, that was. Which Tony did tonight, trying to distract himself while waiting for Loki to appear. Already half way buzzed, he amped up his flirt mode and went looking for entertainment of the momentary sort.

Glass in hand, Tony surveyed the crowd looking for his next distraction.

“Jason, right? I heard about your new acquisition, nice price,” Tony shook the man’s hand. “Hey, Myron. I read your last paper, and whoa. You sure you don’t want to come work for me? No? Consult a bit maybe? No? Fine. Be that way,” Tony said, smiling charmingly before slipping away and opening his arms for a brief hug. “Josie, Josie, Josie. I swear you’re better looking every time I see you.” His smile grew wide as the woman just laughed, pushing him lightly away. Winking to her tittering companions, Tony made good his escape before one of them could do or say something stupid in an attempt to catch his attention.

Stupid because, while Tony still had the reputation of a playboy, he had toned quite a bit since he and Loki had come to an understanding. Oft times to the point of arranging to for his choice of the evening to head to Stark Tower in a separate vehicle, before getting in his own car to follow her. While this fooled very few people, it did make for a dearth of paparazzi shots worth selling. That had made the last five years of ‘Courting’ Asgard-style a little more drama free. If that was possible for anything involving Loki and, honestly, Tony.

Of course the petting also helped, as high school-ish as it was. Tony would have sworn it was going to totally get on his last nerve, but amazingly it hasn’t. Admittedly, there is a lot of individual bath time after a heavy "session", but he figures that was only to be expected. And of course, it does help that Jarvis is sworn to prevent anything from going too far. To the point of calling Steve, activating a fire extinguisher weilding Dum-E, or whatever it takes to break them up. One oversight on his part had been the time Jarvis had actually gotten Fury on Video Conference. Fury screaming, in pain or aggravation, Tony wasn’t really sure, was a complete boner-kill. It worked, but at the expense of scaring Tony for life. Loki, bastard that he was, had just laughed.

However, it has become something of a game for them, as they try to see which one can make the other ‘tap out’ so to speak. Having Jarvis call it quits is counted as a double loss, and takes a point off of each of them. And of course they are keeping score, that’s half the fun. The score sheet is stored in Jarvis, oh the irony. Tony would be lying if he said he didn’t kind of enjoy spending hours slowly, and totally, wrecking Loki. Even giving the god a last little peck on his forehead, when Loki gasped, ‘enough, stop’, before pulling back and gleefully and reminding his desperate Trickster, ‘We only have forty-five more years to wait, babe!’, before swanking off to a hot (or cold) shower. At least Tony likes it better than the times when he is the one that has been destroyed, and Loki is laughing over his shoulder as he swans away.

However, when Loki isn’t there, and Tony wakes up in the guest apartment a few floors below the penthouse after a one night stand, Tony does wonder if was Loki doing the same thing. That whole Loki being under the Asgardian age of consent, and technically restricted to age-mates to actually do the horizontal tango was starting to wear on Tony’s possessive nature. Despite what they had agreed to, he hated the thought of Loki possibly (probably, almost certainly) banging other people. Even if the god swore he never indulged so while on Earth. And when the asshole goes to Asgard? Who knows what he does with 'age-mates' once he’s fulfilled whatever stupid task Odin demanded? Tony just know Loki indulges a bit, and despite him doing the same thing, it makes Tony crazy to think about it.

Several people in the group he was currently standing with, yet ignoring, eyed Tony as he grimaced and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Gifting them with an insincere smile, he slipped away without saying another word. Okay, so he was bored. And horny. Nothing new there. Fortunately, Loki would be checking in soon, and he could look forward to the tiny eddies of mayhem the god amused them both with. And then later? Later, Tony’s week would at last take a turn for the better.

He tapped off a message to Jarvis, ‘For the love of Tesla, J. What's the hold up with my Godling??!!!’


	2. Karma is a Bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay.... Who ordered the Elf on the Shelf. Tony is understandably, not happy when he appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta’d by Stella (Ykmust) & Emu Sam. And then further futzed with by me. So all errors are a 'My Bad'.
> 
> Whooooo Hoooo! Please check out the cool art work I just added to chapter one. Thank you Allantiee Art!

**Chapter 2 - Karma is a Bitch**

Granted, for a while there Tony’s week had looked like it was going to do a total one-eighty out of Suck City. Because seriously, there was nothing finer that watching Loki sashay his elegantly clad self across the room, with Tony as the sole focus of his attention. His craving to be the center of his partners universe, was not exactly a hidden need of Tony’s. However, there were few people who knew just how deep it went, or how ridiculously sappy it made him feel.

Tony sighed happily.

With an eye for propriety that he only exercised at Pepper’s direct request, and only then about twenty-five percent of the time, Tony waved Loki towards a small nook, and then headed that way.

“Hey babe, how was realm hopping?” He asked, opening his arms for a hug as Loki joined him.

“Well enough,” Loki replied, molding against Tony for a brief moment, before bending down to drop a chaste kiss on his lips. “My mother sends her regards, and several bottles of Álfheimr liqueur.” Tony perked up, trailing his fingers down the god’s forearm’s as he stepped back.

“Any of it that Star Flower stuff?”

“Yes,” Loki told him with a fond smile, allowing his fingers to entwine with Tony’s. “Four of the bottles are Elen Lote.” Dipping again, Loki breathed in, appreciating the scent of Tony’s favorite shampoo to the point of actually nuzzling Tony’s hair a moment before reluctantly straightening up to say, “Although she say that you should savor it. Seeing as it is so difficult to acquire, she knows not when she will be able to get you more.” Tony scoffed.

“Pleeeaze. I have faith in your mom’s ability to dish out the goodies. Besides, she almost likes me.” Tony resisted the urge to gently mock his god, remembering with amusement, that he was in for at least two days of Shakespeare. Since that was what it normally took for Loki to ditch his Asgardian speech patterns after spending any time off planet.

“Indeed. As do I. In fact, I was tempted to bring a bottle down here this evening, for our private consumption this evening.” While the words were that of a statement, Loki’s tone held a note of inquiry.

“Well…” Tony paused as if considering this idea, but then shook his head. “Since I think it tastes best when licked off your chest, I am pretty sure Pep would have a problem with that.”

Loki wrinkled his nose and gave Tony a crooked smile that the Trickster reserved for him alone. Not that Tony was going to bask in the warmth of the gesture or anything. Or at least, not much.

“I had actually factored that into my decision to leave it on your bar.”

Loosening one hand, Loki brushed Tony’s hair gently back into place with his fingers, before he tugged Tony along with the other, “Now come, let us finish mingling so we can go upstairs and open the wretched bottle.”

OoooO

It didn't take long to find Pepper, and with only the tiniest bit of whine in his voice, Tony called out, “Pep! Look! Loki finally made it, So, I'm done right?”

“Absolutely not. I’ve been looking for you, we have a few late arrivals for you to charm. Come on, you two.” Grumbling, Tony allowed himself to be towed behind his satin-gowned CEO

Which is how, twenty minutes later, having made nice and done the whole small talk, _glad you could make it, oh hey, Pepper wants to peel a donation out of you_ , Tony found himself slowly edging the two of them away from the ivory clad redhead. Just as they reached the point where Tony thought it would be safe to turn his back on the group, a strangely accented voice with an deep growling note in its lower registers purred, “Loki, Prince of Asgard. How absolutely lovely to see you again.”

A voice that Tony couldn’t help but notice made the god beside him stiffen. Looking into the distance, as if he wasn’t quite sure he wanted to turn around, Loki finally said, “That can’t be Jareth.”

“I don’t see why not?” the honey warm voice retorted. “After all, it isn’t like Odin is here to object, is it?”

Almost as one, Tony and Loki turned to behold what surely had to be one of the strangest dressed guests to ever grace one of his parties. And that included the times Pep had invited Bjork, and Lady Gaga. The man smirking down at him was every bit as tall as Loki, if perhaps a bit thinner. His build was more whippet-like, as opposed to Loki’s dancer lean. Adding to his height was a crested mass of light blond, almost platinum white hair, contrasting in an other-worldly way with darker brows and parti-colored-colored blue-brown eyes. However, as striking as that was, it almost paled in regards to the guy's outfit. His open ice-blue jacket, had loose scalloped sleeves, and allowed the interested an excellent view of a positive froth of white ruffles cascading down the guy’s chest. The ruffles, of course, contrasted nicely with a richly worked dark blue under vest. His matching dark blue trousers were so tight that looked like the bastard was poured into them. His, _pants for want of a better word like maybe fucking tights_ , tucked into the top of a pair almost knee length boots made of some soft buttery looking black leather. And, Tony was dismayed to notice, the boots were not adding even an inch to the bastard's height. Topping the whole— _‘confection’_ was the only word that came to mind— were various silver chains and sparkling jewels scattered seemingly at random all over the guy’s person like confetti.

However, as surprising as this whole outfit was, even more surprising was Loki’s reaction. His god was sporting a soft fond expression that he had previously reserved only for Tony, and the odd kitten fostering a few blocks away from the tower, at their favorite donut shop.

“Tony, allow me to introduce you to a very dear friend from my youth, Jareth Noore sulTalala, Heru en' Elen Nal.” Loki said with a fond smile, syllables rolling from his lips in lilting, liquid cadence that Tony was pretty sure he would never be able to match. “Jareth, this is Anthony Edward Stark, Chief Engineer and Principal Shareholder of Stark International, and a Champion of Midgard known as Iron Man."

“Jaerth—” Tony asked with a questioning glance at Loki.

“Jareth Noore sulTalala, Heru en' Elen Nal,” Loki repeated obligingly, and then after Tony raised a brow at him, he added, “Jareth Clan Wind Sail, Lord of Star Vale.”

“Nice to meet you,” Tony said untruthfully. Then, lips pursed thoughtfully, he regarded his uninvited guest. “I gotta ask though, why does that not sound Asgardian?”

Throwing out an elegant hand as if to wave away Tony’s question, Jareth replied languidly. “Because it isn’t, of course. I am definitely not an Ás, thank the Powers. I am from Álfheimr. When last I visited your realm, Anthony Stark, Hero of Midgard, your ancestors knew me as one of the Fae.” Jareth raised a lazy brow. His lips twitched slightly as if he was remembering something that only he would find amusing. “At least those who didn’t know me as a Ninquë hó.”

 _What hoe?_ Tony flicked a glance at Loki, raising one brow in inquiry.

“White owl,” Loki said, now running a hand down the back of Tony’s jacket, and letting it settle in the small of his back.

“Okay.” Because yeah, Tony could see that nickname being used, the guy's hair was very light, almost white from certain angles, and it did have more than a little bit of a floating, feathery texture. However, Tony, relying on his years of being a jerk himself, was pretty sure what Jareth was primarily, was an ass. Or at least had the potential to be a pain in one. “So, Fae? Fairy rings and pixies?” Tony asked in a voice of polite social inquiry, while tamping down his secret delight at the momentary flicker of dislike in the elf’s oddly colored eyes.

“Tony.” While Loki’s inflection was pleasant, there was a distinct chiding underton of warning that only those familiar with all things Trickster god would catch. And from the now wide you-are-in-trouble-smirk that Jareth Lord Wind Vale was sporting, Tony was not pleased to see that the stranger in front of him was apparently also one of those who were fluent in Trickster-speak. Not that he did anything but toss a faux smile of apology to his unwanted guest, before turning back to his god with an innocent frown. And, managed not to flinch at the admonishing nip the godling’s long white fingers snuck in while pretending to stroke his upper arm.

“I did mention that Jareth is of the Fae yes? The least of them has more knowledge of magic than your planet’s so-called Sorcerer Supreme. And the least powerful Lord of the Fae, which Jareth is not, even more so. Something I do wish you would keep in mind, my sweet.” Bless Loki for the small peck he quickly placed on Tony's temple. Even if it was accompanied by a soft murmur of "Do not start, Tony."

“My sweet?” Jareth almost trilled. The elf’s interest piqued so visibly that if Jareth had been a cat, he would have been doing an excellent imitation of ‘ _was-that-the-can-opener?_ ’

While Asgardians warriors were fairly fluid in their movements, it was pretty clear to Tony that Loki had learned his effortless gracefulness from the same place that had also taught Lord Wind Star. The damn elf managed to slide around behind them, in a manner most feline, and insinuate himself between Loki and Tony. Completely ignoring personal space, Jareth draped an arm over each of their shoulders in delighted camaraderie, again, not unlike a cat who knows you don’t like it.

“So it is true? You are allowing a _Midgardian_ o _lder_ to court you?” Jareth’s slightly incredulous voice then dropped into a deep, growly purr as he turned a wicked smile towards the Trickster. “Well. Well. Well. My dearest Loki. Your sense of adventure simply astounds me. And after all we’ve been through together, I wouldn’t have thought that possible.”

Dearest?

Shrugging out from under encroaching arm on his shoulder, Tony’s restrained the urge to shoo the elf away from him. Parti-colored eyes twinkling in malevolent amusement caught Tony’s brown ones. Without breaking eye contact, Jareth slid the arm around Loki’s shoulder down to encircle the Trickster’s waist. Plucking a glass of champagne off the tray of a startled waiter, he turned toward Tony’s god with a positively possessive air, and clinked his glass against Loki’s. Which Loki echoed in smooth acceptance and even a hint of a smile.

Turning his back on Tony? And putting the make on his god like he wasn’t even there? The part of Tony that didn’t want to kill him for that offense, was spitting mad at how easily the elegant bastard could pull such a move. Only the graceful way Loki disentangled himself, and slipped back to Tony’s side stop him from fishing around in his pocket for one of his mini-repulsors. Instead he was forced to resort to social niceties with an edge.

“You know, I don't recall Loki sticking you on the guest list, Ziggy Stardust. And I assure you I would have noticed a name like yours.”

Jareth lips tipped up in an unconcerned smile. And Tony had to suppose that it was possible that thousand-year-old elves didn’t give a good god damn about mortals and their petty insults. Not that he thought that was likely, seeing as Loki hadn’t appeared to be joking when he warned Tony a moment earlier. Or, and this was more likely, the bastard was having too much fun fucking with Tony’s mind to take immediate umbrage.

“Dearest Loki, do you like living in this New York? While I’ve only visited the original, just the little I’ve seen of your York has much to recommend it.” Then Jareth leered. “Your presence eclipsing all other attractions, of course.”

Tony huffed and rolled his eyes, ignoring the warning flash in Loki’s eyes.

“And how is my uncle Frey these days?” Loki asked, _finally_ slipping an arm back around Tony. “Does he know you are visiting Midgard? Are the restrictions not still in place?”

Jareth startled Tony by abruptly handing him an empty champagne flute, _and_ using his newly freed up hand to stoke the back of his fingers down Loki’s cheek. “My dearest Loki, asking for permission? When have either of us done that?”

The two exchanged sly smiles, no doubt remembering youthful pranks. Tony, holding the empty glass like it was a dead rat, gestured for a nearby server to take it away.

“No. No. No. I merely resisted the urge to leave my transportation ring in place and will be sure not to lure any mortals back with me to use as servants. Your uncle will be so glad that I behaved myself, that I doubt he’ll do more than sigh at me.” Nose wrinkling impishly the elf smirked. “More so when I tell him how well you are going on. I daresay my restraint, coupled with the news of your doings, will serve to distract him admirably.”

The two unsuccessfully tried to stifle what sounded suspiciously like giggles.

“Snickering? Very attractive guys,” Tony deadpanned. Rather than joining in this _Old-Buddy-Pal-Of-Mine_ merriment, Tony just listened with half an ear and put in as little comment as possible out of forced politeness.

Secure at his accustomed place at Tony’s side, Loki looked down at him with the grin reminiscent of a five year old that had just pulled one over on big brother, and asked, “Are you channeling Pepper this evening, Tony?”

And if Tony was honest, the answer to that question would have to be yes, as much as he didn’t want it to be. Or a perhaps, a little bit. Because thinking about the two of them regaling him all evening with childhood pranks… Each one more dubiously humorous than the last… Well, it was fucking hard not to.

However, Tony’s disgruntlement with Loki paying attention to Elf Boy, was apparently mirrored. Over the course of the evening, he couldn’t help but notice that Jareth’s smile became a bit twisted when Loki casually brushed the hair at Tony’s temples, leaned in when explaining something from the duo’s shared childhood, and generally resisted Jareth’s attempts to exclude Tony from their conversation.

Despite his delight in visiting with an old childhood ‘pal’, Loki apparently wasn’t unaware that Tony felt threatened at finally meeting one of Loki’s old flames. Although, if Tony knew his Trickster, he felt sure his god would twist the knife more than a few times in payback for all the times he’d had to endure dealing with Tony’s past hookups. Which, Tony had to reluctantly concede was fair enough. But in addition to the admittedly deserved payback of an emotional stab wound or two, Loki made sure to bestow the occasional light embrace or low toned pleasantry to let Tony know, it was nothing more than that.

So, Tony laughed politely at Loki's commentary-on-me-and-my-old-pal's-pranks and eventually shut his ears entirely to any throaty untones not directed at him, and hoped it would all end soon in a hazy alcohol-induced buzz. Said buzz was not hard to achieve, between signaling a server for a new flute of campaign and willfully focusing on not-focusing. Except, of course, for the intermittent brush of Trickster lips across his temple when Loki would lean in to whisper a self-deprecating aside.

OoooO

“Hello, Mr Stark.”

“Agghh! What the hell—” Tony whirled, clutching his chest. A second instance of someone he didn’t want to see, appearing behind him and whispering in his ear was one too many for his fragile state of health. Which wasn’t, but it could be if this kept happening.

“What’s going on?” Ignoring Tony’s dramatic chest clutching, Coulson nodded to the retreating pair of tall hot aliens.

“Oh. Nothing much,” Tony groused. “Just Karma stopping by to kick me in the ass. Since my life now officially sucks and all.” Pasting on a fake smile that wouldn’t fool a five year old, Tony asked in a brightly, “So. How’s your day been going.”

This, apparently, was the wrong thing to ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprised? :) Also, if you haven't already, please check out the cool art work by Allantiee Art, that I just added to chapter one. Thank you Allantiee Art!


	3. There are These Forms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it is short, but that is where the ending fell, however it will update Wednesday. 
> 
> Many, many thanks to Beta Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam for all their hard work. And also apologizes for the mistakes I make to all their hard work after the fact with last minute tweaking.

**Chapter 3 - There are These Forms**

Tony was pretty sure that Coulson was human. However, during times like this, Tony did wonder. After all, he had definitely not rubbed some old mystic lamp, and yet the bastard had still appeared as if out of nowhere. Although Tony would argue that Coulson was more the classic implacable evil djinn as opposed to the more affable Robin Williams Disney type. Of course his feelings on that matter could have been influenced by the thought that Coulson was contemplating Tony meeting some painful, gruesome end before the evening was over.

So, about the same as always, where Coulson was concerned.

“As a matter of fact, I am not doing very well, Mister Stark,” Coulson said, giving Tony one of his thin lipped smiles. “I actually had plans for this evening. Plans which are now in shambles because we have reports that you have a member of an unknown alien race, who arrived here using an unknown form of transportation, as one of your party guests.”

The Shield agent paused, presumably to allow Tony to babble justifications of why this wasn’t his fault. Which it totally wasn’t, but years of having Loki drop him in deep shit with Shield just so he could laughingly rescue his mortal, had taught Tony the wisdom to just stand pat. After several moments watching each other in silence, Coulson gave up.

“And, what with the damage that visiting aliens seemingly can’t resist inflicting on earth during their initial visits, you can understand how we might be concerned when another one has shown up.”

Coulson’s voice dripped carefully modulated sarcasm as he continued in the face of Tony remaining silent. “After all, it isn’t like we have anything better to do than worry about the safety of the politicians, socialites and various celebrities that make up the majority of your guest list.” And while the Agent’s demeanor was of course outwardly calm, he did fix Tony with a penetrating glare. Not that Tony blamed him for being cranky, hell, he hadn’t even wanted to be here this evening. And it was his damn party.

Still.

Allowing Coulson’s bad mood to roll off his back like water off an Iron Man suit, Tony asked curiously, “What makes you think he’s from an unknown race?” Not that Jareth wasn’t, but, strange outfit or not, he did wonder how Coulson had already twigged to that fact. Unless… Tony narrowed his eyes. Unless those fuckers at Shield had him bugged. In which case, a certain agency might find that all of their login graphics continually reset with a picture of Fury decked out in a rather skimpy French maid’s outfit.

“Unlike either Thor or Loki, this one's ears are pointed.”

Really? Okay. Tony had totally not noticed that.

“So either he is of a different race, or Ms. Potts has taken to inviting cosplayers to your parties.” He eyed Tony thoughtfully, having no doubt noticed the surprise that had momentarily flickered across Tony’s countenance, and then sighed. “Please tell me you noticed that, Stark.”

Busted, but deciding to see what giving Coulson his best Congressional Shrug would get him, Tony did. Shrug, that is.

“Well, no. Pardon me if I missed the Spock ears under that glam-rock hair-do he’s sporting,” Tony drawled. Not mentioning that he had been too busy noticing the come-thither glances the bastard elf had been sending his hot alien boyfriend, to pay attention to anything beside how ridiculously tall and good looking the Fairy Prince was. Speaking of which— Tony glanced nonchalantly around the room.

“Really?” Coulson shoulders lifted in a microscopic shrug of his own. No doubt appalled, but probably not surprised, at Tony’s lack of attention to what Coulson considered important detail. “Of course, the foxglove ring that appeared in central park moments before his appearance was a tip off that he certainly wasn’t using the Bi-Frost, leading us to believe he is not an Asgardian.”

Huh?

Turning his attention back to Fury’s main errand boy, Tony had to admit that Asgard was all about etching burning knot patterns into various surfaces when they traveled. Hell, Tony had ended up installing concrete pads and sensors at all his properties just to keep from having his grass and terraces fucked up every time someone powered down from Asgardlandia. He honestly couldn’t see Space Vikings traveling by flower power, not even if someone pointed a fully loaded Infinity Gauntlet at them. And yes he knew about that mess looming in his distant future. And no it wasn’t the topic of numerous nightmares. Frequent, perhaps, at most.

Still, inquiring minds did have questions about the topic on hand.

“And just how the hell do you know what kind of flowers they were?” Tony asked curiously, recalling that Jareth said he’d removed the ring as soon as he’d landed.

Coulson very pointedly did not roll his eyes. Nope. Instead he just stood with his hands clasped in front of him, in a Shield approved, ‘you disappoint me’ stance. “Mister Stark, there are nineteen hundred volunteers working in Central Park. The biggest percentage of them are gardeners. Reports with pictures had already been sent to their zone manager before the blue clad alien life form was even half way out of the park. Time stamped pictures. This is how we not only knew who we were looking for, but we also knew the exact minute the foxglove ring vanished into thin air.”

“Well, yay for you. Vigilant pansy pushers. Who knew?” Tony retorted making a bit of a face. “However, this still doesn’t explain why you are bugging me. It’s not like I even invited him. Just like I didn’t invite you,” Tony groused, resisting the urge to mess up his hair by scrubbing an irritated hand through it. “Look, the guy just dropped in to visit his old pal.”

“Understood. However, since his old pal is your main pal these days, that puts you in the best position to set up a meeting for him with us.”

Yeah. Like that was going to happen.

Because Agent was just creepy that way, he replied to Tony’s unspoken retort. “Look, Stark, just talk Loki into it. That I know you can do.”

“You think so, huh?” Tony grimaced.

“Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Isn’t that what you always say?” And no Tony did not like the derisive little curl on the edge of Coulson's smile as he prepared to leave. “And I am mindful that you put Genius as the first on the list. Well then, you should be able to figure out a way to use either the second or third attribute to convince Mister Friggajarson to bring his friend to us for a chat.”

Fucker.

“Oh, one last thing,” Coulson paused, turning back towards Tony just in time to catch the bite-me-bastard face Tony was indulging in. “I don’t need to be invited. If you check with Jarvis, you’ll find I have an open invitation to any Stark International event, courtesy of Ms. Potts. Something about how you forget to drink if you know you might need to deal with me.” Coulson permitted himself the smallest of smirks. “So, good luck trying to get it rescinded.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.


	4. Mine, Mine, Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things heat up for Loki and Tony... Vexing Jarvis to no end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Another holiday gifty to you... 
> 
> Made possible of course by Beta's Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam! Whooot! Apologizes for the mistakes I make to all their hard work due to last minute tweaking.
> 
> Please note rating change. Just to be on the safe side.

**Chapter 4 - Mine, Mine, Mine**

Having resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at Coulson’s retreating back, and a more powerful one to have Jarvis permanently replace all of Agent’s ring tones to ‘Who Let the Dogs Out?’, Tony went looking for his god, and unfortunately that also mean Loki's newly conjoined twin, the Prince of Elfland. He found the two of them charming their way through, and donations out of, a swath of society matrons for Pepper. Pep liked when someone freely made a pledge to a mage, since it normally engendered a fairly strong completion compulsion on the part of the promisor. Something Tony could definitely attest to, having learned the hard way not to make empty promises to Loki.

And Tony’d been good. As much as he wanted to whisk his prince away from the harpies surrounding him, he’d restrained himself and made nice with them for Pepper’s sake. And also for Loki's, as much as he’d wanted to blast Dandelion Hair into the next county, he’d also been polite. Cordial even. Despite the fluff headed bastard constantly leaning close and whispering things into his god’s ear that made Loki chuckle and shake his head. So honestly? Neither Pep, nor Bambi, had cause to complain.

Point in fact, the only one who had any cause for complaint was Tony. His hot god had been gone for months on some stupid diplomatic mission that Frigga had set up. A part of him earning his way back into Odin’s good graces. A reason Loki could have cared less about, frankly. But what he had cared about was being able to visit Frigga, even if only briefly to receive his missions. And of course, giving her ammunition to harangue Odin with. That part Loki exulted in.

Trade agreement that has been stalled for decades? Not anymore. Feuding Jarls ignoring council decrees and threatening a region's stability? Not a problem. Apparently, his little bundle of Norse joy had dirt on absolutely everyone, and they knew he was capable of using it in the most humiliating or damaging ways possible. Conversely, Loki also generally knew what their most heartfelt wish was for, and could arrange for them to receive it… If the Jarl in question fell into line.

Right now though? Tony’s most heartfelt wish was to get Jareth installed in a guest suit on a lower floor, alone. And to get his godling out of here as quickly as possible, so he and Loki could retreat to the penthouse. After all the weeks apart, and having an unwanted BFF distracting his Trickster, Tony felt in serious need of some godly cuddle time.

OoooO

Making it out of the elevator and as far as the couch in Tony’s living room before they fell upon each other, was possibly a personal best for them after an absence of several weeks.

By the time he had Loki’s jacket off and shirt half opened, his god was making that little encouraging noise in the back of his throat that drove Tony wild. Hell, everything about Loki, from the otherworldly, something sharp and wintery scent of his skin, to the silky feel of his hair when Tony used it to tug his head back… E _verything_ about his god could drive him crazy. What with the frenzy of neediness that over took him as he bit down on Loki neck, and Loki’s broken little mewls in response, it wasn’t long before each kiss down Loki’s chest was accompanied by Tony's almost mindlessly murmuring, “Mine. My Bambi. My Loki. Mine.”

Almost, mindlessly, because Tony found himself tossing in the occasional interrogative growl if Loki didn’t immediately give back some sort of noise indicative of agreement.

Tony Stark was _not_ possessive. He just didn’t like people touching his stuff. Any of it. Ever.

And while he would never verbalize any thoughts like that concerning a certain God of Mischief… Because he did value his life, no matter what Pepper claimed. In Tony’s private thoughts – and equally important, Jarvis’ protocols – Loki had definitely been moved into a category that Tony was both protective and insanely jealous of.

Not that there was anything like a re-claiming going on as Tony kissed, nuzzled, petted and in general re-scented, said God of Mischief. He’d just missed Loki, and was happy he was home. And he had definitely missed the long strong fingers sliding up and down his back from shoulders to ass cheeks. His feelings were a perfectly normal reaction to being parted from his hot godling for far longer than he was happy with, that’s all.

_Totally understandable, completely innocent, and not the least bit creepy and possessive._

Not that their current activities over the last hour could really be termed innocent. Granted they were both still clothed. Even if several items were half off, or pushed out of the way. But hey, since they were not discarded on the floor, they totally counted. And besides, Tony was sweating up a storm, so yeah, he’d loosened a few things to stay cooler.

“Sirs!” Jarvis called out, for what had to be the twentieth time.

“Sirs, this is your last warning. I will be invoking Courting Protocol Five in sixty seconds if you do not immediately cease your activities.” And if Jarvis sounded anxious or harassed, it was possibly due to the fallout from the last time he’d had to invoke a Courting Protocol. Steve had been incensed at the image that he claimed had seared its way into his brain when he’d responded to... What Jarvis had led him to believe was a very different sort of emergency. Spangles further claimed that Tony’s inability to keep it in his pants was not something Steve ever wanted to have to prevent again.

Tearing his lips and attention away from the nipple he was currently teasing, Tony tried to think through the additional distraction of the god’s clever fingers stroking and kneading quite low on his back, while simultaneously panting into his ear.

_When had his zipper gone to half mast?_

“Jarvis, override Courting Protocol, all provisions and then mute.” Tony gasped out, as Loki used his grip on Tony’s behind to hold him down as the god bucked up and made the most maddening noises in response to Tony’s activities.

“I am sorry Sir, but per your instructions you are not permitted to override this protocol. Twenty seconds, Sirs.”

Taking advantage of his distraction, Loki slithered underneath Tony until he could lick and suck his neck. And, whisper such filthy stuff in his ear that Tony was in danger of losing… well several things. Keeping track of what Jarvis was blathering along about, was actually the least important.

“I did warn you, Sirs.”

A sigh wafted out of the speakers in the ceiling before other items in the ceiling were activated.

“ ** _Aghhhhh!!!_** ”

Ice cold water **_poured_** down from the penthouse’s sprinkler system. Between his own surprised movement, and Loki trying to avoid being drenched, Tony was rolled off the Trickster, hitting the floor hard. The wail of the penthouse’s fire alarm was _almost_ loud enough to drown some very inventive cursing as the Asgardian fled the downpour. Magic curl-taming hair gel not being proof against this much of a deluge of cold water.

“Jarvis, what the actual fuck!” Tony snarled, hair plastered against his forehead as he hurriedly pulled his now sliding pants up over his boxers. The latter as much to protect his neither regions from cold water as it was to protect the delicate sensibilities of Steve, Thor, or worse one of Happy’s building’s security personnel who might respond to the alarm if Jarvis decided to be a _total dick_ and not shut them off.

“Seriously!" Tony spat, wiping water out of his eyes. "Did you have a chiller installed on the damn system?!”

If an AI could smirk, Tony could _hear_ smirk. “Of course not sir. I merely refreshed the water supply before triggering it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.


	5. We have a History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feels. Tony has them despite all his attempts to dodge the damn things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, many thanks for all the hard work by Beta's Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam! Whooot! All mistakes you may find are due to last minute tweaking on my part. (please feel free to let me know about them, so they can be fixed!)

**Chapter 5 – We have a History**

Tony was not in a good mood. Not that there was really anyway that he could be. And impromptu ice water shower resulting in a room full of ruined furniture, and the worst case of blue balls in recent memory? That would put a damper (ha ha) on the jolliest of fellows, not that Tony lays any claim to being that guy. In fact, possibly the only good that had come of the whole evening was that the repairs were an excellent excuse to remodel. And while he’d never stopped bitching about the reclaimed lumber and exposed brick Industrial look Loki had stealthily inflicted on him in the guise of reparations, it had grown on him. Much like a fungus. And like such an affliction, he was glad of an opportunity to get rid of it, without causing a Trickster meltdown.

But that was hardly a silver lining worth having endure Elf Boy smarming around his boyfriend all damn morning. If there was a silver anything in his morning, and Tony would be willing to say that is was more a pocket protector than a full on lining, it would be Jareth’s micro expressions every time Loki took a break from reliving old times and lavished a bit of attention on Tony.

And Tony would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy that, even if he wasn’t getting near the attention he felt he deserved after Loki had been gone for several weeks. Still... From the conversations he heard, Tony had gathered that like Loki, the Elf prided himself on his imperturbability. So to see it shaken, even so minutely, made his inner Dark Stark gleeful. Particularly since he was almost certain Loki and Jareth had been an item at one point in time or another.

Not that Tony cared.

_Much._

OoooO

Several days later, despite his best efforts, it seemed that Tony was not going to get through Lord WinStar’s visit without at least one heart to heart convo. There was just no ignoring the guy. Particularly as they both watched Pepper tow Loki away for a lunch date, determined that he meet an up and coming financier of her acquaintance. Or so she said. However, Tony was pretty sure it was more to quiz him for background information on the the elf swanning around the tower dressed like some old time glam rocker.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen his hair so long.” Jareth said, sitting back down on the couch where he’d been before his introduction to Pepper. Admiration, and something else that Tony didn’t even want to think about evident in his voice. “Despite not having set foot in Asgard since the All Father had his little fit, I do hear things, Anthony Stark.”

And no, Tony did not imagine loathing in the Elf voice when he spoke of Odin; it was of an order of magnitude seemingly eclipsed only by how Loki felt about Thor’s dad.

“Please, enough with the Anthony, just Stark is fine. Tony would be even better.”

“Well, if you insist. As I was saying, I do still hear things; I have many relations that pass in and out of Asgard. And they told me a most curious tale, of the younger prince taking up with a Midgardian elder.” He eyed Tony slyly before continuing, “Moreover, I hear that it is a very traditional courtship, something, as uninhibited as Loki is, I honestly had no idea he was capable of."

Again those damn bi-colored eyes gleamed with amused malice. “And if what I hear is true, from _other_ sources passing through Midgard, Tony Stark isn’t exactly noted for observing the rules either.”

That the Fae were popping in and out of earth was something Tony resolved to look into at a later date. Right now he was too busy seething as Jareth let out an enraptured sigh. “Even as a youngling he was ever so imaginative in bed. I recall--”

“You know what?” Tony interjected hurriedly. “Loki’s bestie or not, I’m almost positive that I don’t want to hear whatever it is you’re planning on saying next.”

Of course, Tony also hadn’t wanted to hear a low, dirty, filthy, chuckle, so full of unspoken innuendo he was really tempted to pull out one of his pocket repulsors. Fortunately, perhaps for both of them, Tony recalled Loki’s warning. As well as Pepper’s probable displeasure if he caused a stock drop by getting himself killed.

And then the Elf’s expression became soft, and wistful. It was a change so mercurial, that it made Tony instantly suspicious of what was coming next.

“He was the best of companions,” Jarrett said, eyes flicking towards the door Loki had so recently exited. The Elf’s voice so soft he might very well have been talking to himself. Tony mentally rolled his eyes as he groped for his half-forgotten coffee cup on the table beside his chair.

“We met when we were small children,” The corners of Jareth’s lip twitched up in a wry smile. “And we spent most of my first visit terrorizing Thor and those loutish friends of his. Our nurses were called to the Queen’s chamber to explain our behavior, more than a few times. He was the gayest child I have ever met.”

Caught in mid-swallow, Tony choked, coughed a few times, and then rolled a jaundiced eye towards Jarrett, demanding, “What?!”

“We were mischievous. Loki was always…”Jareth paused a moment in thought. “A sprightly child, lighthearted. Which part of that did not translate well?”

“Language drift perhaps, we don’t use gay in that context these days.” Tony’s voice was a bit roughened from his unexpected coughing fit. “And I’m not sure I can quite imagine Loki as ‘sprightly’.”

Not that Jareth cared a jot apparently.

“Would you like to see him as a child?” Jareth asked, and then without waiting for an answer he pulled out a crystal globe that was far too big for any pocket his slim cut costume might have. After passing it from his palm to the back of his hands several times, he held the cue ball sized crystal towards Tony, and waved a hand over. Inside the crystal, an inky dark cloud flowed coalescing suddenly into a very sharp clear picture of a laughing, dark-haired child darting around a garden trying to catch some small winged insect. Tony leaned in to study the image more closely. After a few moments, a somewhat thinner, dandelion headed child of about the same age joined him. As Tony watched, he could see, but not hear, the blond child laugh triumphantly and stretch cupped hands towards the other boy who was clearly a child version of Loki. Right down to the complicated, asymmetrical styling of his green tunic, apparently, some things were Loki-eternal.

The giggling boys both bent over peering at their prize when a light tap by one of Jareth’s highly groomed finger nails caused the image to swirl back into ink and then change. This time it was the same two boys, now slightly older, tussling in a fountain of some sort. They appeared to be having a marvelous time, until suddenly their heads lifted, and almost in unison, they shot a glance to the side in surprise. A moment later water and children exploded out of the fountain. The two boys raced away in the opposite direction of whatever they had spotted only a moment before.

“So,” Tony asked as the picture seemed to follow the running boys, “How exactly does this thing work?” As expected Jareth ignored him, but he did tap the crystal again.

This time when the picture swam into focus it showed two gangling teenagers, maybe seventeen, seated side by side on a garden bench of some sort, not quite holding hands. Unlike the earlier picture, when fuck if Loki wasn’t against all odds sprightly, the thin, dark haired teen in this picture was drooping against his pale haired companion. Neither kid looked happy. The quivering lips, and shaking hands surreptitiously brushing eyes, were pretty much an indication of just how unhappy. Much like the previous image, after a time they both glanced up, as if someone had called them. However this time, instead of them running off together, the adolescent Jareth turned, resting his forehead briefly on Loki’s shoulder, and received a cheek rubbed across his feather-like hair in return. Jareth then reluctantly stood, and slouched off towards whoever had called to them, leaving a forlorn Loki to drop his head into his hands and stare at the ground between his feet.

Tony was far too cynical to tear up over young love thwarted. But he wasn’t so heartless that he didn’t feel a lump in his throat over Loki’s unhappiness.

“That was the last time I saw him.” Jareth's expression was unnaturally flat as he tossed the ball high in the air, caught it on the back of his hand, somehow twirled it into nothingness. "Odin made sure of that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whooot. Did you love the way I worked the Bonus Chapter of The Trouble with Tricksters into this? Did ya even notice? 
> 
> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.


	6. Entertaining Company

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What does it take to anger an Elf Lord? Ask Clint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many, many thanks for all the hard work by Beta's Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam! Whooot! All mistakes you may find are due to last minute tweaking on my part. (please feel free to let me know about them, so they can be fixed!)

**Chapter 6 - Entertaining Company**

The evening after the crystal ball YouTube episode ended up turning into a group event, though Loki had originally planned it as a night of clubbing for only Loki, Tony, and Jareth. While Tony might wonder at Steve’s determination to accompany them, he was pretty sure Barton only came because Natasha was already out of pocket on some secret mission for Coulson.

Clint, Loki, and alcohol were not a combination Tony could in good conscience inflict upon New York with only Steve as back up. So he decided to ruin Thor’s plans for the evening. Pulling him aside, Tony informed the Thunder God that it was his brotherly duty to help him keep the Loki-and-Clint-Combo from getting into a bar-leveling argument. And if he collaterally ruined Blondie’s plans to 'horizontal tango' with Jane that evening then… _Oh well._

Bruce, when asked if he also wanted to attend, of course played the Hulk card. He claimed that loud music and drunken strangers bouncing into him were something he needed to avoid for the preservation of his last decent pair of dress pants. Not to mention the New York club scene. Which was not that much of a scene, really. Quite honestly, Tony preferred Berlin. As for his science buddy's dress pant inventory, Tony would have been more than happy to augment it. But, all arguments aside, determined Bruce is determined. And so, Irresistible Force has to tell Immovable Object they will see them in the morning.

Tony did stick his tongue out as he left Bruce’s floor.

Two bars and several drinks into the evening, for reasons best known to himself (but not really surprisingly, hence Thor and Steve’s presence) Clint decided to weigh in on Loki’s part in that whole Invasion of New York Incident.

Again.

Tony wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol talking, or the absence of Natasha. As Clint often avoided that topic, if only in an ‘I’ve been told to play nice’ kind of way. And ordinarily when it did come up, Loki shrugged off Clint’s needling with a blank stare. The type of stare that of course, indicated to one and all, that the Trickster would soon be visiting heavy retribution of the prankish sort. Normally, Clint got his digs in and felt better, Loki made him pay dearly for it later. And then someone held up to the sky a small animal: kitten, puppy, stuffed toy, _whatever_ , and the circle of life continued.

However, this evening, Clint had failed to include an elvish bestie in his Invasion of New York Bitchfest equation.

The instant Loki had gone poker faced, foppish, happy go snarky, ‘Let’s have a drink’ Ziggy Stardust was pretty much replaced by a ‘Piss your pants in terror you foolish mortal’ Elric of Melniboné. The only thing E of M was missing was the soul drinking sword, and Tony was pretty sure the elf was skilled enough to use a cocktail spear in a pinch.

A wicked wind sprang up out of nowhere swirling the hair of everyone, except for Barton’s short, heavily moussed ‘do, into instant disarray.

WTF?

The wind was a good trick, seeing as they were inside a building, mind you. And then the building’s lights flickered out to be replaced by dim emergency lighting. And right on cue, writhing wisps of electric blue and blinding white started swirling menacingly around Jareth, brightening the place up at the expense of absolutely no one in their group failing to notice shit was about to go down.

“And exactly what more did you expect him to do, you ignorant mortal?” Jareth snarled, standing so suddenly that his chair flew backwards. “Tell me, you wretched creature, what did you expect of one lone mage to do, driven to the point of suicide by his idiot family and weakened by a passage through the void almost unto death?”

Almost casually, the elf tore their table from where it was anchored into the concrete floor. Pushing the table aside, he loomed over Clint, who was pressed back as far as the half booth would allow him. And being no dummy, despite Tony’s frequent gibes to the contrary, the assassin didn’t go for a weapon. He wanted to; you could tell that by the clenching of his fingers and the way the muscles in his arms twitched. But he didn’t. Which was good, since a Stark-designed explosive-and-gadget-loaded arrow would at present be pretty useless, even though it hurt Tony to admit that. Not, of course, that Clint had any of those on him. And frankly trying to take out Jareth with a gun was almost definitely a no-go move.

Would silver bullets work?

Jareth swooped down until he was almost nose to nose with Clint, eldritch flames rising and falling as he snarled, “Pray tell, how you would have blunted the attack, and lived to get a word out? All while under the constant watch of your tormentors? Against _Thanos_? A being of such power it took the entirety of the Nine Realms to defeat the last time he turned his attention our way?”

“Jareth,” Loki snapped, reaching over to grab the elf’s arm and pulling him away from Clint, if only by a foot or so. “Bide.”

“Bide?” Jareth hissed, every bit as wild eyed as Invasion Loki had been. “Bide? How so when this, Whor—”

Loki did something magic with his one hand, and suddenly while Tony could see that the two were still arguing, he couldn’t hear anything. Clint looked just as confused as he was, and Tony had to give him props.

Anyone else would have looked like they were about to piss their pants.

Glancing over to see if Thor was planning on stepping in any time soon, Tony was a little surprised to notice that he wasn’t. Then Tony noticed everyone that wasn’t sitting at their table, or rather, where their table used to be, was carrying on normally, as if they weren’t basking in the dim glow of emergency lighting. This to Tony smacked of Trickster interference.

“Er… Thor?”

Shrugging, Thor took another slug of his ‘Bolt Boy Special’, a frosted beer mug filled with Jim Beam Black bourbon with a half an orange of juice squeezed into it, a concoction that never stopped making Tony shudder when he thought of the desecration of so much Bourbon in one go. “No doubt Loki did something so that they don’t notice anything amiss,” Thor told him, seemingly more concerned with his drink than the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Uh huh.” Tony replied. Glancing over, he noticed that Clint was enjoying the sensation of not having a murderous elf looming over him. And he also noticed that Steve seemed completely unimpressed with everything that was happening. Including, it appeared from the dirty looks Spangle was giving the blond Asgardian, Thor’s lackadaisical attitude towards his brother casting spells on innocent bystanders.

But, however displeased he was with Thor, Steve did spare a moment to righteously hiss at the instigator of this little moment. “We’ve talked about this dozens of times.”

Clint started to retort, but Steve rode right over him. “No Clint. I don’t want to hear it again. Not now, and definitely not when Loki retaliates. Besides, no matter how you mess with each other, it was uncalled for when Loki was entertaining company.” That last bit almost made Tony want to laugh. Trust Steve to have his priorities straight.

Great. Now he had two arguments to break up. Three if you counted the interrupted one between bird-boy and elf-on-the-shelf. Still, Tony’s fine-tuned sense of impending doom was nagging at him, so it was past time to end this.

“Okay!” Tony said loudly, and clapping his hands. Which hey, what do you know, also got the attention of the Tricksters Two.

Who was just that awesome that he could command the attention of the super heroes, gods and Fae both? Yep, it was Tony. “All righty guys, I think it is time to move along. Huh? Whata ya say? Get while the getting is good?”

“I am handling it, Tony.”

“I know you are Bambi, but maybe we could handle it somewhere else?” Tossing Loki his best doe-eyes, the ones he could never resist. “Lo, you know how much Pepper hates calling our lawyers because we’ve messed with the mundanes.”

And while that was always a solid argument with Tony… With Loki it only worked about fifty percent of the time. And half of those times because Pep tossed in a bribe or worked out a deal of some sort with his Trickster. Loki’s lips tightened in a near sneer, and Tony was thinking that tonight was not going to be one of those times Loki avoided bringing Pepper’s wrath down upon them…

“Indeed.” His god huffed. For a minute it looked like that was all Loki was going to do, but then with only the slightest of pouts, he gestured his bestie towards the door. “We will depart; my spell will release as soon as we are out of the building.”

“You do not have to take such disrespect from a nithling,” Jareth growled, shooting Clint a searing glance as Loki waved Jareth a bit more emphatically away from the table.

"I'm afraid you'll be have to be more specific about who in this bunch you are calling a nithling.” The ghost of a smile tugged at Loki’s lips as he chivied his friend to move faster. “However, if it is Barton of whom you speak, you need not fear that this incident will be forgotten. I assure you, even Barton knows that he will regret his words.” Loki flashed the archer a smile that was now razor sharp. “I will make very sure of that.”

 _Whatever._ Tony sighed internally, consigning retaliation fall-out to the future, it really didn’t matter as long as they got out of here without scene making the news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.


	7. Entertainment of a Different Sort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is not a fan of the nobler pursuits. Besides, even not aging he is getting too old for this shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corrections and suggestions provided by Beta's Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam! Can I get a Whoop-whoop? All mistakes you may find are due to last minute tweaking on my part. (please feel free to let me know about them, so they can be fixed!)
> 
> My bad for forgetting to post this this morning... but in my defense, Ykmust and Silver_Drip distracted me with a convo about surnames.

**Chapter 7 - Entertainment of a Different Sort**

The Clint and Jareth episode had mercifully died down after Loki caused Clint to spend a day coughing up feathers at random intervals. But, as sure as atoms decayed, there was always something with those two... Loki and Jareth that is.

Not that Tony had found Thranduil quite every time he turned. For instance, despite Jareth's best efforts, and offers of threesomes, he hadn't made it into Tony bedroom yet. But you had to give it to the bastard, he wasn’t giving up.

Waving away the waiter who deposited a much-needed scotch in front of him, Tony took a sip and then leaned his head back; resting it tiredly against the cushioned booth he was sitting in. A stir rippling through restaurant caused Tony to open tired eyes, an action that was rewarded, as he knew it would be, by one of his favorite sights.

Loki.

Tall and lean, dark and sexy, wisps of danger almost visibly surrounding him, Tony almost wanted to wrap himself around the bastard and tell both Asgard and Elf-land to fuck off and leave them alone. As Tony’s god swanned through the restaurant, heads turned in his wake to watch him, but Loki’s gorgeous eyes only lit up when they caught sight of his mortal.

And then Tony saw that damn elf, who despite many hints had not gone home yet, but instead apparently had spent the day at one of Loki’s tailors. Had Tony been a mind to admit it, were he not infatuated with his Norse god, he might have made a play for the Elf. He was after all, with the exception of his hair color, a near perfect match for his Trickster. Even down to the snark. And while he didn’t want to admit it, the two of them made a striking pair.

Catching sight of Jareth, a tiny, malicious part of Tony’s mind, snickered at the pain the Elf Lord’s out fit must have caused one of New York’s best tailor. No matter how hard the bastard rocked the ruffled look, that had to have caused more than a little hair rending at Fioravanti’s.

"Nice suit," Tony as Loki’s lips brushed his brow. “Did I pay for that?” He asked, gesturing with his scotch glass towards Jareth. “I mean, if I did it was obviously money well spent, but then I guess I don’t have to tell you guys that. Well, except for the ruffles, not a fan of the ruffles.”

“Of course you didn’t pay for it,” Jareth sniffed haughtily, I am the Lord of considerable properties you know.”

“And a bog.” Loki interjected in an amused tone, sliding his own well suited self into sit beside Tony.

Looking like nothing so much as an offended feline, Jareth turn narrowed eyes upon his childhood friend. If the guy’d had a tail, it would’ve been lashing back and forth. “He sometimes spends a lot of time at the estate that borders it,” Loki explained, a wicked grin spreading across his face. And for the tiniest moment Tony hoped that they might be about to argue, but no such luck. Instead Jareth flicked his fingers and a small white spark flew across the table striking Loki’s cheek, while a reluctance smile stole across the elf’s features.

“Yngvi can be a prick at times, but he did eventually allow me to serve the rest of that banishment at a different estate.”

“Yngvi?” Tony queried.

“The name the light elves use to refer to my Uncle Frey.” Loki informed him.

“Ah. And the House arrest, what was that for?” Not that Tony cared if anybody locked up Jareth in a swamp. However, if the guy had a criminal record that might be something Tony needed to know, seeing as how he spent so much time wandered around Tony’s tower. Admittedly Jarvis watched everything that happened in the tower. But as Tony had learned the hard way, it was almost impossible to really keep an eye on magic users when they were trying to be sneaky.

Long elegant fingers that didn’t belong to his Bambi waved gracefully in the air, “That is a question perhaps Loki should answer, since it was his idea in the first place.”

“We did give the book back.”

“Eventually, yes.” Jareth drawled.

“Of course, I don’t think it helped that we returned it, only for you to immediately borrow another tome.”

“You recommended the next one if I am not mistaken, and did you not also make yourself a copy to take back to Asgard?”

“Well, yes. It isn’t like I could let the opportunity pass. However, I most likely would have let tempers die down first.”

Opening the menu before him, Jareth regarded Loki with mischievously sparkling bi-colored eyes. The elf’s entire demeanor, totally at odds with his pious rejoinder of, “Better to regret an opportunity taken than to miss out on it all together.”

It was like watching a tennis match. Loki and Jareth continued to smirk and lob snide remarks and selection recommendations back and forth at each other until the waiter arrived to take their orders. As the man hurried away, Loki leaned across the table, gesturing with the hand that wasn’t lying warmly on Tony’s thigh, “Confess, it was worth a few years of house arrest at your worst property to get a copy.”

“It was. But now I wish to forget about that dreadful place and concentrate on enjoying this one. Which recalls me Anthony, I want to get a Midgardian conveyance.” Tony straightened up, only slightly confused at the elf’s need for a car. Wasn’t the bastard ever going home?

“Loki tells me you are an automobile expert. Favor us with your thoughts about that Phantom vehicle made by Rolls Royce? Oh, and what do you know about the Lincoln Square Condos? Perhaps we could pass them on the way back to your tower?”

OooooO

“Umm, Jarvis?” Sneakers comfortably propped up on the coffee table, Tony looked up from his large design slate. “Why did you replace my schematics with websites for a place called Happy Socks and another that does custom silk cashmere hosiery?” Tony cocked a thoughtful eye at the ceiling, wondering if was perhaps time to dust off Jarvis’s servers or something.

“I thought,” replied his faithful, if occasionally puzzling AI, “that you might like to take a moment to pick out a small gift for Mister Friggjarson. There is a local vendor who stocks the Happy Socks, and with rush shipping, custom socks could be here by the time he is ready to speak to you again.”

Frowning, Tony leaned his chair back, still gazing up at one of Jarvis’ cameras. “Uh, huh. Is there any particular reason that you think I will shortly be needing to bribe my way back into Reindeer Games good graces? And if so, using socks, Jay? I mean… Really?”

“Perhaps, it might be best if I just order a selection for you, and you can choose later.” Jarvis said in a resigned tone before he changed the vid display. Tony’s jaw dropped as he viewed a sight he had never imagined would occur in _HIS_ tower.

OoooO

As the elevator door opened, Tony stormed out into his private garage. Close behind, the rest of the Avenger’s followed, curious to see what message Jarvis had sent that caused Tony to leap to his feet crying ‘ **Why?!’** , in tortured accents, before flying out of the common room almost as fast as he would have been able to if he’d been in a suit.

To say that Tony’s was more than a little dismayed to find his normally completely spotless private garage, wasn’t spotless any longer, would be the understatement of the decade. Particularly, since this previously gleaming showcase to all that was expensive automotive excellence, now wasn’t. Instead it had dirt and--- _stuff_ marring the previously pristine floor, _and_ a pungent organic odor overlaying its normally intoxicating smell of metal, polish, and fine imported leather.

“ **Loki!”** Tony all but shrieked **. “** Why in the hell are ** _horses_** in my garage?” Wild eyed, Tony dashed to impose himself between the numerous dent-makers with tails and his precious automobile collection. Causing several of said dent-makers to nervously sidestep and drop more _… stuff_.

Clint, following with a rapid but less equine anxiety-inducing glide, clucked at the horse Tony was trying to shoo away from his Audi. “Whoa. Seriously nice Oldenburgs, guys. Where did you find them?” Gently snagging its bridle, he backed the horse away from the Tony and his cars.

The predominately black, brown, and russet animals were much taller and heavier than Tony remembered from his youthful forays into riding. Apparently judging by Clint comments at any rate, they were at least Earth horses, so, not other-realm-ly meat-eating, winged, or fae horses.

Small mercy there.

And while he still didn’t know why they were here, Tony thought there were six of them, although with the way they kept milling around, he could be mistaken.

Not even trying to hide the long suffering expression he knew he was sporting, Tony looked over at the Apocalypse Twins and whined, “For the love of— Why?”

And no, that last word did not come out as a wail. It was instead a very manly demand.

Sorta.

Loki and Jareth turned to look at each other as if they were on a connected pair of swivels, making the hair rise on the back of Tony’s neck, then they turned back to give Tony almost identical grins. Think _V for Vendetta_ mask, and throw in a cup of creepy. They were those kind of smiles.

“Look, I’m warning you, if you two don’t quit doing that weird twin-thingy, I’m gonna have to separate you guys.”

Jareth’s smile got curlier, and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Lokes. You could separate a bar full of people from sensing Elf Fae's lightning show which just a wave of your hand, and you couldn't conjure up a proper stay away spell around my cars to deter these dent-inducing horse-apple-defecating mammals?" Tony folded his arms and huffed. "Sometimes you make me doubt your love for me."

Nope, he was not acting like a toddler denied a sippy cup, he was just angry.

And as per usual, his god ignored this.

“We thought, a Wild Hunt,” Jareth began.

“Through Central Park,” Loki finished, the two of them doing their creepy Trickster Twin grin thing again.

Before Tony could even begin to enumerate all the reasons that wasn’t going to happen, Thor whooped in excitement. This of course scared the horses. A sound very much like a metal-clad hoof hitting a side panel caused Tony to groan and rub his forehead. He could feel a severe headache forming.

“Indeed, we have been much too sedentary of late,” the Thunder God boomed, ignoring the fact that his loud mouth had just spooked a horse into damaging a car worth more than a lot of people made in a year.

 _Bastard Asgardians._ Tony simply gasped and at that moment, decided to turn his complete attention to his cars and mentally block out whatever else that was happening in his own damn tower. That way, if Loki narrowed his eyes too much over Tony's reactions, Tony could pretend he didn't notice.

_Wait…_

“Central Park?” Tony was just about to deliver a pithily worded response to the worse idea since the Apple III, when Steve’s interjection rolled right over him.

“ ** _Loki!_** There is no way we could use Central Park, there are too many people there who could be hurt. Even if you could get a permit” Steve protested, obviously oblivious to what exactly a ‘wild’ hunt entailed. Tony however, was not. He after all had done the required readings for dating a Norse God.

“Look Snookums,” Tony said, motioning Steve to shut up and trying to keep his voice at least semi-reasonable. “It’s not that it doesn’t sound like fun. Although it doesn’t. But I’m not much of a rider. I mean, I used to, but that was a long time ago, when I was a kid-- And besides—”

“My dear Captain.” Jareth’s lip curled, disdain practically dripping from his words as he did a little interrupting of his own. “You do realize that we have no intention of asking anyone’s permission, don’t you?” He gave an unconcerned shrug. “Besides a Wild Hunt starts at midnight. That and a compulsion spell, should clear your little park nicely.”

Okay, so the scoffing noise Steve made was funny, but Sidekick Trickster constantly interrupting was starting to get on Tony’s last nerve.

“We have two trail bikes.” Loki quickly interjected, causing Tony’s attention to swivel from Cap’s unhappy reaction to Loki. “I know you prefer machines, and I doubted that the Captain would be much of a horse rider.”

“And the quarry?” Thor asked. Seemingly not finding any problem with the idea of six or so horses and two motorcycles illegally hunting… _whatever_ … in Central Park in the small hours of the morning.

Surprisingly. This question caused the Mayhem Twin’s smiles to slip a little. “We had thought a mage light,” Loki offered, his tone almost apologetic for some reason.

“However, I am sure we could find a miscreant who has committed a suitably heinous offense. If you think that too tame,” the Elf from Hell offered.

“WHAT!”

Steve might have bellowed, but Thor just looked thoughtful.

Steve— Bellowed. Yes, bellowed was the only word that would describe Spangle’s volume and tone.

“We are not hunting a criminal!”

“We aren’t hunting _anything_. At least not in Central Park. No!” Tony finally snapped, he pointed a stern finger at Loki before sweeping it out toward the milling livestock. “Nor are we keeping these damn horses here with my cars!” Another dull thump sounded from somewhere behind the Lipizzan Stallion herd, causing a sharp spike of pain behind Tony’s right eye.

Loki looked to be opening his mouth to argue, when Tony decided to shut him down completely. “Absolutely not,” he declared. Waving a hand at the four legged dent makers he demanded, “Are these ours? Or did you just borrow them? Cause if you borrowed them, send them back. **_Now_**. If they’re ours, get with Jarvis and have them moved to the Connecticut property. But, what the hell we are going to do with a bunch of horses I have no idea. **I** would prefer you get rid of them.” Tony, glaring down at the _‘organic’_ stains marring his previously pristine garage floor, stomped his foot in a clean spot and folded his arms akimbo, thinking furiously to make sure he covered all the gotchas that could not be left open to random interpretation when giving _orders_ to Loki. "If we aren’t keeping them, make sure that getting rid of them, doesn’t involve Thor firing up a roasting pit. I do not need any flak from PETA. Nor do I want to hear about them showing up in Christine Everhart’s office.”

_Not that that last one wouldn’t be funny._

“Tony—” Loki began in his, ‘ _I am trying to be reasonable you silly mortal’_ voice.

“No,” Tony stated flatly. “You want to hunt, we’ll do it in Connecticut. Pick a date and have Jarvis get the house opened. And some stable hands hired. And whatever the fuck else horses need.” Pointing an emphatic index finger at his godling, Tony narrowed his eyes and growled, “But mark my words. No criminals. No animals. Got that? Not even a fox. No, not gonna happen, nothing, na-da. And if the damn thing has to happen at night I’m wearing night vision goggles, so you better pick a date during a full moon. Use your whatever higher senses that us puny _mortals_ don't have to figure when the planets will align ever so nicely with the moon, and give me a two week notice. Got that?”

There was a stunned silence at Tony's tirade. Even the horses stood still a moment.

“Well,” Thor finally allowed in a conciliatory tone, “having the hunt during the full moon **_is_** traditi--”

Tony was gratified to see the Thunder God immediately shut his mouth and gulp when Tony turned his best death ray glare upon him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.


	8. We Could Be Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time to leave the unroos behind and put on big boy panties. *** Also, please join us in a game to hopefully stimulate our creativity in the New Year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a saying... That what ever you do on New Years Eve, you will do the entire year. So, I hope many of you join me in playing the 'Missing Chapter' game to get our writing primed for a kick ass New Year. This chapter eight references an event that isn't shown. Stella, one of the wonderful beta's of this story has several idea of what might have happened, so I thought it might be fun to get together and flesh the whole scene out, dialog and all. 
> 
> It really just turns into a comment chain at the end of that chapter, with people filling in what they think happened leading up to it. If someone posts something you like, comment on their suggestion. If you disagree, make a comment saying what you think actually happened. Or what So-n-so said, or thinks ect... And then we decide which stuff gets put up into the main story area and then we build off of it. People add dialogue or back ground in the comments until we have a crowd sourced chapter. :)
> 
> (This is something that happened frequently on a sci-fi forum I used to belong to. Everyone would adds bits and bobs in the comments, then we all voted on what might happen in the missing scene and add in dialogue and descriptive prose until we had a finished scene.)
> 
> Anyhow, I do hope a few of you join in, if we get enough content, I'll try to wrestle it into a supplemental chapter.

**Chapter 8 - We Could Be Friends**

Tony had always thought himself a hell raiser. And over the years, he did have a lot of media coverage documenting his more insane moments as proof. However, he wasn’t a Brash Twenty Year-Old anymore. Hell, he’d blown past his Careless Thirties and was past the midpoint of his Fuck-You Forties even. And despite Loki slipping him an Apple-of-Eternal-Youth, he was starting to have serious doubts that he would be able to keep up with Insane-Buddy Loki in the long run.

Regular Loki, he could handle just fine. Hell, regular Loki was totally his kinda guy. But Loki hanging with Jareth? The two of them together were like some of exponential explosion of crazy. With, the added bonus of magic. Crazy with money was bad enough, he was proof of that. But money, magic, and almost eternal youth?

It made Tony feel so old that sometimes he was tempted to go hang with Steve and reminisce about the good old days. The pre-Jareth days, when Loki’s crazy was pretty much focused on criminals with money… Messing with Clint… And of course most important of all, Tony.

Morosely Tony stared at the distant party-goers. Pushing aside mental images of the two tricksters with their head together plotting their next prank, he instead he pondered the odds of Loki and Clint reopening hostilities after the feather incident. Worried as he always did, what he would do when the day came that one of them went too far.

And this was one more reason why Tony hated gala season; it was one damn boring party after another, and they all left him too much time to think. He’d give anything to be down in his lab, or watching movies, or plotting with Loki their next attack on Spangles' delicate sensibilities.

Their approach unheard over the murmuring of the crowd, someone settled on the stone bench beside his. Started out of his thoughts by the nearby scuff of a shoe against the stone pavers, Tony pulled his gaze away from the gathering he’d been staring at without seeing, and found Jareth studying him intently. The minute Tony raised an inquiring brow, the elf’s intently serious gaze morphed. Watching Jareth assume his normal, gleefully sardonic expression, would of course not be complete without the addition of mischievously twinkling eyes of an indeterminate color. Which appeared even as the thought flitted through Tony’s mind.

“You need not be so concerned my friend.”

Tony pulled back, tossing a quick glance to his either side, before fixing the elegant asshole beside him with a suspicious look. “Are we supposed to be friends? When did this happen? I am pretty sure I did not get that memo.”

“Of course we are to be friends.” Jareth said lightly, before his voice dropped an octave and took on menacing overtones that despite Tony’s bravo, sent a jolt of fight or flight thrumming through his body. “Surely do you not imagine that I could not have eliminated you had we been rivals.”

“I’ll have you know, I am not that easy to kill,” Tony snapped, sitting up straight, and tapping his bracelets.

With lips twitching in amusement, Jareth cupped an elbow in one hand, propping his chin on loosely curled fingers of this other.

“I will keep that in mind, Anthony.” The elf brushed his thumb lightly across his smirking lower lip, “And plan accordingly if I should ever decide to put the matter to the test.”

“Now. Haven’t I asked you not to call me that?” Tony asked petulantly.

“Indeed you have.”

It was very hard to out stare a god. Tony knows, he’s tried on numerous occasions. However, he has found it was equally hard to out stare an Elf Lord. Particularly one who seems to be enjoying a joke at his expense. Conversation and music drifted out the wide archway and swirled around them as they sat in silence. After what seemed like an eternity, the elf spoke again, his tone almost meditative.

“You know Stark, Odin really does not care for me.”

 _Big surprise there,_ Tony thought sourly.

“Well, it isn’t like he is the only one is it?” Tony finally retorted, gifting the annoying bastard with a nasty grin. And receiving one right back in return. It had been more than a little disturbing to find that Jareth and Loki both had channeling an Insanely Smiling Shark down to an art.

“Indeed not. However, if one was smart enough, they could use this to their advantage. Midgardian, you may be… A handicap to be sure as far as Asgard’s king is concerned. However, you are at least a prince, and don’t have a history of total… _Let us just call it frivolity_ , within the Realm Eternal. So I am sure that if you bestirred yourself to offer a boon or service of some sort to Asgard, you might find that a formal acknowledgment of your desire could be achieved. Sooner, rather than later.” Jareth lowered both his head and his voice, watching Tony intently from beneath his wildly styled hair. Incongruously, Tony felt like he was being sized up for lunch potential by an albino leopard.

“Or, even more, if you were bold enough to reach for it,” the elf concluded cryptically.

Peering suspiciously, Tony couldn’t help but utter, “Uh-huh,” in probably one of the more dubious tones he had ever used. But really? After being a complete tool since he got here, Dandelion Mop was going offer him helpful advice? Tony would believe that when Hammer Industries put out a product without an immediate critical maintenance bulletin being issued. In other words, it was never gonna happen.

A gentle smile, eerily similar to one Pepper occasionally bestowed upon Tony, when he had, against all odds, not gone off on someone during a contentious board meeting, graced the elf's face. And the madly twinkling eyes had been replaced with… Amusement, yes, but it was an oddly fond amusement, which frankly reminded him an awful lot of the way Loki looked at him when he thought Tony wasn’t paying attention.

There was, Tony reflected, nothing in the world worse than an asshole, unless… It is a diva-ish elf asshole confusing the hell out of him.

“Tony,” Jareth said, breaking the short silence between them. “For reasons which defy understanding, Loki has fixed his interests upon you.”

 _Oh really?_ Tony happened to think the reasons he fascinated his trickster were pretty apparent. _Maybe not to a refugee from a Jim Henson movie, but--_

“Hey? Genius, billionaire, pla-national hero, philanthropist. And I might add, all around handsome guy, and snappy dresser,” Tony retorted, clicking his fingers and pointing emphatically at the elf. Seriously, he was much more a catch than a be-ruffled, spandex-pant-wearing, swamp-owning Fae. Not that he dared say so, lest the Fae bastard turn him into a frog and dump him in his damn swamp.

“As I was saying,” Jareth said calmly as if Tony hadn’t spoken. “For reasons that defy understanding, Loki is very fond of you, and you make him happy. What doesn’t make him happy is when you and I don’t get along.” Tilting his head, in a graceful way that he almost assuredly knew drew attention to his own killer cheekbones, Jareth continued, “Now that he is, more or less, out from under Odin’s thumb, realms of possibilities open up. The very least of which is he and I can at least be friends once again.” The elf chuckled ruefully. “I know that Loki is enjoying my visit, and our reliving a certain times when we were younger. However, don’t think that I haven’t noticed that his preferred activities are less wild that they used to be.”

_Huh?_

“Can you read minds?” Tony asked, hoping like hell he couldn’t. However, hearkening back to his thoughts right before the bastard sat down beside him, finding it odd that Jareth had homed in on exactly what Tony had had been fretting over.

Jareth laughed. It was an open, and honest laugh, with no snark in it at all as far as Tony could discern.

“No, Tony. But you will find that after a few centuries, you learn to read people very well. Or,” he amended, “At least you will if you pay attention.”

There was a long, pregnant pause as Jareth studied Tony intently. Finally, right before Tony was about to say something really rude, just to break the tension, the elf spoke, his words flowing like a warm caress. “As long as our lives are, they are still too short to waste a single minute loving someone who doesn’t appreciate and value you. Many people have loved Loki in the past, Thor, Figga, and Odin for instance,” Jareth’s voice lost much of its warmth as he mentioned Odin. “However, it always seemed to me that his family didn’t exactly appreciate him for who he was. Rather they tried to mold him into someone that their values deemed worthy of being loved.”

And couldn’t Tony relate to that. It was no doubt a big reason why both he and Loki acted like total jackasses if someone tried to tell them what to do. And doing the exact opposite of course. From the wry look on the elf’s face, Tony could have sworn that Jareth _did_ know what Tony was thinking. But then one of Jareth’s brows quirked, in a manner so familiar to Loki, that Tony had to wonder who had learned it off of who.

Waving an elegant hand towards himself, Jareth said, “We became friends because I didn’t do that. Later became lovers, and I would like to think that had we not been separated, we could have been more.” His voice which had gotten steadily darker cut off abruptly. When Jareth continued it was in a much lighter tone, one that was totally at odds with the intense expression on his face. “However, it does appear as if that season has passed. And as much fun as it is to ‘wind you up’, as I have heard your minion Barton call it, I think the joke has about run its course. So I will regretfully have to leave your charming city for a while. Estates do not look after themselves you know.”

Tony perked up. _Lord Voll was leaving? Coming back yes. That sucked. But at least, for now, he was leaving?_

“I was Loki’s Flien en' nesse, you know.”

Despite his elation at the news that Jareth was leaving, it took everything Tony had not to roll his eyes.

“Umm. Elfling term? I speak five languages, but elf isn’t generally taught in Ivy League schools. Sorry.” Not that Tony had gone to one. MIT had higher standards after all.

“Flien en' nesse, Fling of Youth,” Jareth elaborated, almost gently.

Granted his voice was slightly mocking, this was Jareth speaking after all, but also strangely warm.

“And while I might wish we’d had more time together, I do accept that he is happy with you. However, his love for you will not change the fact that I will never think of him as any less than a cherished friend.”

 _Okay_ , so maybe Tony could have clamped down on the skeptical brow raising a bit better. Judgmental would be a mild description of the look Jareth was returning.

“And as a friend, I would never want to cause one more moment of heartbreak in his life by trying to come between the two of you. Therefore, the question you have to ask yourself is… Are you going to force Loki to decide between his lover and a dear friend from his childhood?” They locked eyes a moment, before the elf continued, “I have no doubt he would choose you. However, I think it would make Loki very happy if you and I could be at least casual friends. I, of course am willing. You are not without your amusing side. However, in the end, it is your decision to make.”

Jareth stood abruptly, as if to leave, then almost as quickly fastened a baleful glare on Tony. “Do not for one moment, Anthony Stark, think that ** _I_** will give him any cause to decide that the he has to lose one of us, to keep the other.”

Tony scrubbed irritated fingers through his hair, as the elf, head held high, practically strutted towards the archway leading back into the event hall.

Time seemed to stand still as Tony processed the last few minutes of conversation.  “Jareth! Wait. Please.” Tony called out before he completely lost his chance.

And yes, Tony would have rather chewed on glass than have to admit the elf had a point. Okay, more than a point, more like a data series. Not that Tony would admit it out loud. Particularly not to Lord Windbag.

Turning, supercilious look firmly in place, the David-Bowie-Look-A-Like and current bane of Tony’s existence made a small murmur of inquiry.

“Look. We aren’t friends, and may never be friends… But, having said that, I don’t want to be the asshole here. So,” casting Jareth an exasperated look Tony continued in a voice that didn’t sound as if he was being forced to confess something at gunpoint. “Look, is there any way you can leave me a means to contact you? A thaumaturgical chalk board? Perhaps a magical realm hopping carrier pigeon? Maybe a mystical potted plant I can have pass on a message?” The corners of Jareth’s mouth twitched in to the tiniest of smirks.

“Anyhow," Tony continued with a sigh, "a couple of months from now, I’m planning on having a big birthday party for Lo. It’s a surprise, so I’d appreciate it you’d keep your lips zipped, okay? Also, while not Asgard Official, I hope, we'll announce our engagement at the very least. It’s an Earthgardian thing declaring that we are courting, even if we haven’t nailed down a wedding date yet.”

Wishing the words didn’t stick in his throat so, Tony forced himself to continue. “I’d… I’d like some way to check the date with you, to make sure you can make it before I send out all the other invitations. Tony concluded with a lopsided grin, “After all, I couldn’t throw Loki a party without his BFF in attendance, could I?"

OoooO

Several hours after Loki’s birthday party had wound down, Bruce found Tony. Lounging across that damn throne he’d bought Loki as a joke, black socked feet slung over one heavily padded arm, head thrown back against the other, just staring pensively at the ceiling. Not that his posture alone would have caused Bruce to come to such an abrupt halt. Or for that matter his partially undone white dress shirt or the half opened black silk tie. No. For that Tony was pretty sure it was the raspberry kiss lipstick smeared across his lips, the sparkling pink chiffon tutu over his black dress slacks… and the tiara he was thoughtfully nibbling on the band of. A suspiciously well made tiara. Even though the stones on the tiara spelled out the word ‘Bitch’, they had so much more fire and brilliance than even the best crystals. And Tony knows, just knows, that those two bastards bippity-boppetied up real diamonds for the damn thing. He only hopes they weren’t liberated from anywhere on Earthgard. Or at least in the US.

“Rough night?” Was all Bruce said, sitting down on the small _‘supplicant’_ sofa opposite the throne.

He didn’t move, but Tony did roll a bloodshot eye in his direction, only to see Bruce leaning back on the couch, fighting to contain a grin as dawn’s pale light washed over New York City.

Huffing through his nose, so his teeth didn’t lose their grip on the tiara, Tony rolled his eyes. Laboriously swinging his arm, which had been dangling long enough to be stiff, he grabbed the tiara’s jeweled headband and shoved it somewhat haphazardly onto his head. And then, with both hands free to assist and a heartfelt groan, Tony shifted his feet to the floor until he was sitting more or less upright, glaring at the now opening laughing Bruce.

“You try keeping up with those two assholes, and see how you end up.” Tony muttered bitterly.

Art used with the very kind permission of Lokefanart http://lokefanart.tumblr.com/archive

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Fini~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **So.... What happened at the Party to get out Tony in this state? Please leave ideas and/or dialog in the comment area.**
> 
> Corrections and suggestions provided by Beta's Stella (Ykmust) and Emu Sam! All mistakes are mine and due to last minute tweaking on my part. (please feel free to let me know about them, so they can be fixed!)
> 
> As always comments and reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it is a simple I loved YYY, or ZZZ confuses me. They let me know which part is catching your attention. If you aren't a comment kind of person then bookmarks and Kudo's would be wonderful. They all help the story placement on the search engine. Many thanks to my faithful commenters and of course to all that have kudo'd and bookmarked in the past.

**Author's Note:**

> Avengers, Iron Man, and Thor, are the property of Marvel and Disney, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.  
> .  
>  **[Complete list of RenneMichaels writings, gifts, and art.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/RenneMichaels/works)**  
> .  
>  **[The Trouble with Tricksters](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5143163/chapters/11837846)** COMPLETE - Loki is kept in Stark Tower, but he is a NOT silent, dignified, lone figure, mostly avoiding the Avengers he is forced to share living quarters with. Instead he is an in your face brat. Who walks a fine line between annoying the shit out of all of them but doing it in a way that isn’t blatant enough for anyone to stomp on him without an avenging Thor coming after them. 33,251 Words  
> .  
>  **[Palaces of Sand and Gold](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2398826/chapters/5303108)** COMPLETE If Tony and Loki ever broke up, Tony and the SI lawyers wouldn't stand a chance against Odin and his Logmars in a custody struggle. Fortunately it hasn’t come to that, but it is a struggle dealing with overzealous grandparents? Domestic One Shots in the Queens Grace Verse that can be read alone. 9563 words.  
> .  
>  **[The Littlest Trickster](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5056117/chapters/11627242) ** COMPLETE - Tony Stark finds out that neither he nor Loki are any match for a child determined to return to Earth. A series of One Shots as the newest heir of Asgard experiences Life on Midgard. Queens Grace Verse AU, Comes after Palaces of Sand and Gold, but can be read alone. Co-written with Ykmust. 27,800 words  
> .  
>  **[Queens Grace](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1038355/chapters/2071435)** COMPLETE WITH SEQUEL - After the New York attack, Odin has taken Loki’s magic, made him mortal and imprisoned him. But Asgard is not a safe place for the Trickster under these conditions. Recent events make Odin decide to take away one more thing from his second son, his memory going back for the last four years, making Asgard unsafe for Loki’s reduced station. From stories Thor had told, Frigga decides that Tony Stark’s tower would make an excellent secure location for amnesiac Loki to be under house arrest. 225,458 words.  
> .  
>  **[Anthony of Asgard](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2193336/chapters/4803567) ** \- COMPLETE - After several years of being housed in Stark Tower as a state prisoner of Asgard, Loki is recalled to Realm Eternal. Devastated Tony is now minus a lab partner, wingman and a snark buddy for movie night. Pepper has moved to the west coast and married, SHIELD is doing some crazy shit and with the exception of occasionally seeing Bruce, Tony doesn’t have much interaction with his former team mates. He wonders how it is possible to feel so lonely in a city so full of people. However he's and engineer and a genius... he can fix this. All he has to do is convince Queen Frigga and Odin All Father to go along with his plan. - Sequel to Queens Grace.  
> .  
>  **[How Desperate Are You?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/778956/chapters/1466437)** COMPLETE WITH SEQUEL – Loki has had a bad year and after leaving Midgard with Thor and challenging Odin isn’t making it any better, but no matter how smart you are… Sometimes stubborn happens. It may not seem to be in your best interest, but how desperate are you for a resolution? Any resolution. Loki is returned to Asgard and nothing good happens, but Loki isn’t the only one with issues, Odin has plenty of his own, especially in the realm of A+ Parenting. Loki is desperate to escape from Asgard, Odin and his past. 73,000 Words  
> .  
>  **[Desperate for Change](http://archiveofourown.org/works/943697/chapters/1841248)** COMPLETE - Returning to Midgard after an absence of almost two years, Loki finds that as desperate for change as he has been, some changes will take time to get used to, especially when they concern his relationship with Tony and Pepper. Sequel to How Desperate Are You? 77,000 Words  
> .  
>  **[ Lets Bark a Deal](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4307787)** COMPLETE - A spell goes wrong leaving the Avengers and Loki with a very different outlook to say the least. Tony's need to make a deal with Loki is hampered by the body he finds himself in. One Shot  
> .  
>  **[Lessons from Asgard – Courtesy of Loki 2 - The Dark World](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1037116)** COMPLETE - A primer for anyone who has ever wondered what the heck is going on in the Eternal City. More humor than spoiler, but if you are a stickler please don't read. Asgard Secrets Exposed  
> 


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